Paul Brown of Burnetts, a solicitor and accredited litigator with 17 years of experience in handling serious injury cases, is in Westminster today for the launch of a new report from the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) in his role as the Secretary of the UK Acquired Brain Injury Forum (UKABIF).
Entitled Time for Change, the report has taken evidence from a range of medical and other experts and makes 20 key recommendations for action to improve outcomes for those suffering ABI, whether from major incidents such as car crashes through to those associated with sport-related concussion.
The report also highlights the scale of the problem with 956 hospital admissions related to ABI every day (that’s one every 90 seconds) and 1.3 million people living with traumatic brain injury-related disabilities at a cost of £15 billion per annum to the UK.
As secretary of the UK Acquired Brain Injury Forum and its Northern England equivalent, the Northern Acquired Brain Injury Forum, Paul has been closely involved in the production of the report and in lobbying for cross-party support to make improvements happen. With his experience as a specialist solicitor, Paul has seen the results of delayed treatment and low levels of awareness of brain injury for many years. But he has also seen the benefits of early recognition and specialist neurorehabilitation.
“Acquired Brain Injury is a chronic condition causing hidden disabilities and life-long consequences,” Paul says, “but these problems can be minimised with early recognition of ABI and appropriate neurorehabilitation treatments in the first few months after an incident. The recommendations in Time for Change are all about improving education in schools, sport and the criminal justice system so that ABI is recognised immediately. The report then insists that Rehabilitation Prescriptions of specialist neurorehabilitation treatments should be issued consistently and investments made in neurorehabilitation facilities across the UK.
“There is a lot of evidence, much of it included in this report, that early treatment can reduce longer-term needs and associated costs to the wider economy so we need to show MPs and other decision makers that this early response is a worthwhile investment that will save money in the long term.”
Paul is in Westminster today along with campaigner, Liz Twist MP for Blaydon, and with Brain Injury survivors across the country who talk about their own personal journey following brain injury.
“The evidence in this report is clear – that we need to take early action to improve the chances of those with Acquired Brain Injury to give them the best chance of recovery,” says Liz Twist MP. “We need to turn these recommendations into action. It really is “Time for Change” for people with Acquired Brain Injuries.”
Angela Curran heads the Medical Negligence and Serious injury team for Burnetts Solicitors and she is also based in the Northeast: “Paul is passionate about getting the best possible rehabilitation treatment and support for his clients and has a strong track record in winning significant claims that will make a huge difference to their futures,” she says. “That same passion is what drives his involvement with the national UK Acquired Brain Injury Forum and its regional equivalent as well as Headway Wearside. I am sure that his commitment and conviction will come across in today’s presentations to government and make a difference for those with ABI for many years to come.”
The Secretariat of the APPG on Acquired Brain Injury can be contacted via 0845 608 0788 and the full Time for Change report will be published online at www.ukabif.org.uk/campaigns from 1pm on 10th October 2018.
For further information on Burnetts’ Medical Negligence and Serious Injury team, visit www.burnetts.co.uk.
